Self-Host n8n for $5/month: Complete Setup Guide (Docker + Caddy + HTTPS)

Running n8n in the cloud costs $20+/month. Running it yourself costs $4.15/month. Here's the exact setup I use. Why Self-Host? n8n Cloud is great but: $20/month for 5 active workflows $50/month for 15 workflows Your data lives on their servers Can't install community nodes freely Self-hosting gives you unlimited workflows, unlimited executions, and full control — for the price of a coffee. The Stack Hetzner CX22 — €3.79/month, 2 vCPU, 4GB RAM, 40GB SSD (more than enough for n8n) Docker — for easy n8n management Caddy — automatic HTTPS with zero config n8n — the automation engine Step 1: Get a VPS Best options by price: | Provider | Spec | Price | |---|---|---| | Hetzner CX22 | 2 vCPU, 4GB | €3.79/mo | | DigitalOcean Basic | 1 vCPU, 1GB | $6/mo | | Oracle Free Tier | 4 OCPU, 24GB | Free | I use Hetzner. Best price/performance in Europe. After signing up, create an Ubuntu 22.04 server, add your SSH key. Step 2: Initial Setup (5 min) # Connect ssh root@your-server-ip # Update packages apt